Atopic Allergies

[Rozzie]

Can someone enlighten me as to what this means? Is it an allergy to soemthing in the environment? What would the prescribed treatment be?

Tia

Roz

[chuckie500]

my undertsanding is its an allergy to something airborne eg dust mites, pollens etc. We get hayfever & watery eyes, they get the itches.

I guess the first thing is a correct diagnosis. thats elimination of of contact allergy (location of the itch and if there are any possible contact allergens, such as wandering dew), elimination of a food allergy (by strict diet and food trials), elimination of flea allergy (by super strict flea control), and possible allergy test.

I have a dog with somesort of allergy and we went throught this process. They tell me that it could be a combination of these factors. He would itch and bite sores etc. He was on cortisone every two days for a few weeks. But with a fairly strict diet (i keep him off chicken/lamb/wheat products), and good flea control, he has the occasional itch or sore spot now. He hasn't had cortisone for over a 18 months.

Some would recommend a high omega 3/6 diet (fish oils) & I read an article that said something like this alone will help in about 20% of cases. I feed my eaglepack fish formula & also give them tinned salmon (high in these oils). It also prompted me to be a bit fussier about cleanliness and dust as one test revealed he is allergic to dustmites. I also went and bought dust mite covers for all my bedding (which they sleep on). This might sound insane, but when I replaced the carpet in my bedroom, I went for floorboards too to reduce the dust. Anything to help him. I must say i'm pretty happy with the results in him, generally a happier dog.

[Rappie]

Essentially yes, atopy is an environmental allergy. It's similar in a way to hayfever in humans in that it is an allergy to inhaled allergens, rather than those that an animal is in direct contact with. Unlike hayfever, the clinical signs are usually related to the skin - intense itching, often leading to chronic ear infections, red feet etc etc.

As for treatment, sometimes patients can be managed with symptomatic therapy like medicated washes, antihistamines and hypoallergenic diets (which do not treat atopy specifically, but reduce the general load of "irritants" that the body is exposed too) but most often more severe cases end up on long term or repeated intermittent courses of corticosteroids if referral to a dermatologist is out of the question. Although not an ideal solution, it is often the only way to keep animals comfortable. Steroids, like NSAID's often get a lot of bad press, they are very powerful drugs but like anything need to be used in moderation.

A dermatologist can perform intradermal skin testing and identify which pollens and grasses etc that an animal is particularly sensitive to, then administer desensitisation injections. Although theres no specific cure, the allergy injections work well in about 60-70% of cases - unfortunately the process can become very frustrating, time consuming and expensive!

[Rozzie]

Would this type of allergy cause the dog to have a bad smell?

Thanks for the info so far...

[Alison]

Following is some info on Atopic Allergies that my vet gave me to read a few years ago as Tyler suffers from this: (sorry it's long but very, very helpful)

ATOPY - ALLERGIC INHALATION DERMATITIS

General information

Canine atopic dermatitis is an inherited tendency to display allergic symptoms like scratching, chewing and rubbing at the face, paws, armpits and stomach. The age at which this is first seen can be as young as three months or as old as seven years, but the average is between one and three years of age. Common causes of atopic dermatitis include pollens, moulds, dust mites, wool and feathers (see attached list). These microscopic particles can set up an allergic reaction in a sensitive individual. Depending on the particular allergy the symptoms may be mild initially and seasonal (e.g. pollens), or year round (e.g. house dust mites). With time these signs usually become more severe and continue for a longer period (unlike in humans where children sometimes grow out of allergies). Allergic signs can be aggravated by concurrent flea infestation. An animal which is allergic to pollens can also be allergic to insect bites. Even if there are no fleas or other insects seen a single bite can aggravate the dermatitis.

What are the major symptoms of atopy?

The major symptoms are itching and scratching, often in the armpits and groin. Dogs also rub their faces and lick their feet. However this is not specific for atopy as both food and insect bite allergies can produce these signs. The other signs which result from scratching include hair loss, redness, scale formation (dandruff), darkening of the skin colour and bad odour.

How do we diagnose atopy?

In most cases we will diagnose atopy by examining your dog while taking into consideration the age and history of your pet. It is important to note that other skin diseases (e.g. infections, mites) can also lead to itchiness so we need to make sure these are not present. Dogs with untreated atopy can develop skin and/or ear infections as a secondary problem. These must also be treated appropriately.

The best way to identify a specific allergy is to perform intradermal skin testing. This is a referral procedure which we may recommend especially if your dog suffers from severe or year round allergies.

Treatment.

Like human allergies, there is no lifetime “cure” currently available but we do have some treatment options to alleviate your pet’s symptoms. These may include some or all of the following:

1) Reducing the allergic load:

Allergens are everywhere. They may be in your pets bedding, they may be from plants in your yard, they may be air-borne or they may be in your pet’s food. The combined total of allergens your pet is exposed to is termed its allergic load. If your pet is allergic to a number of things it may only show symptoms if exposed to more than one of these at a time. Eliminating as many suspect allergens as possible may reduce the tendency to itch. Examples include strict flea control (important for all allergic animals), removing woollen blankets, avoiding areas of grass which seem to set the itch off, wiping or bathing your pets feet and belly after walks due to transcutaneous absorption of allergens and considering hypo-allergenic diets.

2) Corticosteroids:

In cases of mild seasonal allergy of less than 2-3 months duration, corticosteroids (a type of cortisone), which relieve the symptoms of allergy may be the treatment of choice. Common side effects of corticosteroids include increased thirst and appetite. Occasionally some dogs may develop urinary incontinence due to their increased water intake. These side effects are normal and reverse once the medication is finished.

If given for an extended period of time (many months or years), corticosteroids may cause increased risk of infection, hair loss, liver damage, muscle weakness, vomiting and diarrhoea. Long-term corticosteroid usage is therefore not recommended for young dogs. In the older pet, corticosteroid therapy at low doses on alternate days may be the treatment of choice.

3) Antihistamines:

The advantage of antihistamines is their safety. Side effects are rare. The most common one is drowsiness, which often disappears after the first few days. Occasionally some animals will develop increased thirst or appetite. Unfortunately the success rate is much lower than in humans and only 30% of the animals will have their itch controlled with antihistamines alone. If we consider using antihistamines to reduce your pet’s itch we may try a number of different types to see which (if any) work the best. Antihistamines are also more expensive than corticosteroids.

4) Omega fatty acid supplements:

These naturally derived dietary supplements have been shown to reduce the allergic response. They must be given for at least 6 to 8 weeks to allow them to be incorporated into the animal’s tissues before they will be effective. They are safe and have no side effects.

5) Hypo-sensitisation:

This technique normally follows intradermal skin testing. Skin testing is a referral procedure which involves injecting small amounts of known allergens (see list) under the skin and observing which ones cause a small skin reaction. From this information a vaccine can be prepared specifically for your pet, which is given repeatedly over many months or years to reduce the allergic tendency.

KNOWN CAUSES OF ATOPY IN DOGS

1) Grass Pollens:

Couch, Paspalum, Kentucky Blue

Rye Grass, Canary Grass, Prairie Grass

Bent Grass , Oat, Maize

English Couch, Wheat, Sweet Vernal

Cocksfoot, Yorkshire Fog

2) Weed Pollens:

Ragweed, Dandelion, Dock

Plaintain, Fat Hen, Mexican Tea

Rough Pigweed, Nettle. Red Sorrel

3) Tree Pollens:

Elm, Palm, Casuarina

Eucalyptus, Peppercorn, Birch

Melaleuca, Lucerne, Wattle

Privet, Olive, Oak

Pine, Plane Tree, Sycamore

4) Epidermals:

Cat Dander, Feathers, Sheep Wool

Human Dander

5) House Dust Mites:

D.pteronyssinus, D.farinae

6) Moulds:

Peniccillium, Aspergillus, Cladosprium

Alternaria

7) Insects/Miscellaneous:

Cockroach, Flea, Mosquito

Ant, House Fly, Horse Fly

Kapok, Rose, Tobacco

Edited March 29, 2006 by Alison

[Rozzie]

Thanks Alison... how is Tyler's managed?

Had an email from people who adopted one of our pups. Pup has developed this. She now lives near the coast, where it's warm and humid... never had it here...

[Alison]

We think Tyler's is from grass. I dont have to worry about it so much now as we do not have hardly any grass in our backyard. Before we moved, I would manage it by washing her feet with pinetarsol (sp?) after walking on the wet grass and drying her feet after she walked on wet grass. It is important to keep grass cut short and not let it go to seed, I would mow my lawn once weekly to keep it short. She would also have cortisone shots every now and again when the allergy was out of my control. This would bring the allergy down and give her a chance to stop licking her feet which would make it worse. I also found that she was much better and suffered from this very little when I changed her to the barf diet and she now has Omega 3 and 6 oils every night (approx 1 tsp a night). I also wash Tyler in Aloveen Shampoo as it has an anti itch formula in it. The pinetarol is also very good but I would not wash the whole dog in it, just use it to clean the effected area when necessary.

[mybestfriend]

I just had my Lab pup Molly allergy tested after months of battling with itchy spots and sores. She tested positive allergies to two types of dust mites, cockroaches, mosquittos, moths and storage mites. Now I know what I am fighting, Molly's situation has improved dramatically. She no longer sleeps on her futon mat, she has a vinyl beanbag instead (which dust mites can't get into), I boil her other bedding once a week etc. I guess the secret is finding out what the problem is and then tackling it. Good luck. Tanya

[Poodle wrangler]

Atopy is just another another word for allergy. e.g my dog is atopic= my dog has allergies.

Best wishes with your dog. Also, allergies can be inherited. Are the parents affected?

[Do No Harm]

My dog had atopy in the form of seasonal allergic dermatitis every year from her first year of life. She was treated with Triamolone injections - which didn't cure the condition they only suppressed the urge to scratch and bite herself. After she contracted encephalitis from her annual booster vaccination in 2003 it took several months for her to recover and I was advised to never have her vaccinated again. In the course of researching the standard practice of over-vaccinating dogs, I had communications with a leading veterinary researcher who for more than 30 years has, along other veterinary researchers, been warning veterinary practitioners about the risks of over-vaccinating. That veterinary researcher kindly sent me copies of some published scientific papers on the issue.

Among them is findings that dogs with inhalent allergies have an augmented response to viral vaccines. Be aware of this fact if you continue to vaccinate your dog because, believe me, inflammation of the brain is a whole lot worse than being itchy.

In the year following my dog's near demise from the vaccine her seasonal allergy worsened and she also developed more allergies (which was predicatable according to a friend who is a medical research scientist - Viral Immunologist/Vaccinologist).

I switched my dog to completely raw feeding and she has no commercial food or treats at all. She doesn't get fleas or worms so I don't give her any toxins to kill fleas and worms. Instead of monthly heartworm 'preventative' I spray her with essential oils to keep mosquitoes (and flies) away.

She had no atopy last year or this year and her other allergies appear to have disappeared. She's been seen by three separate veterinarians 'for assessment' and been pronounced as being "In excellent condition for her age". You can see this for yourself from these photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/pandeva/sets/1675917/ - some of which were taken less than two weeks ago.

She's now rising eleven years old and is clearly better off with good home husbandry than the standard veterinary 'care' we are conditioned to accept as 'essential'.

Edited March 30, 2006 by Blackfoot

[Muttaburra]

Hi Rozzie

What kind of coat does the puppy have now?

If it is a thick coat/double coat then it might be fungal or hot spots or a combination of atopy etc. Are they ensuring that the dogs fur is properly dried after swimming and bathing or just in the moist humidity? Is the bedding aired and dried out thoroughly, and is the bed away from damp areas of the house/garden? There has been quite a bit of rain on the coast lately, if its playing outside it could be getting damp from the grass out there. Are they brushing, grooming correctly etc.

Just thought it might be worth eliminating some of these possibilities, mostly due to the presence of the bad odour mentioned.

Edited March 30, 2006 by Abergavenny

[zayda_asher]

Atopy is just another another word for allergy. e.g my dog is atopic= my dog has allergies.

Best wishes with your dog. Also, allergies can be inherited. Are the parents affected?

Its not actually. Atopy refers to a specific group of allergies, i.e. inhallant allergies.

Food allergy, contact allergy, flea and other insect allergy are all separate forms of allergy to atopy

Dan

[Rozzie]

She is an Elkhound cross. There is no history of her parents as she was a stray. The new owners are contemplating euthanasia. The treatment she has received so far has been medicated washes.

[Alison]

Can they try cortisone Rozzie? Giving up after just trying medicated washes seems a little pre-mature

[zayda_asher]

That's ridiculous!

There's so many ways to manage allergy... but they have to be willing to spend the money and go see a dermatologist to find out exactly what the dog is allergic to. Minimizing or eradicating allergens is the first thing to do, and you need to know specifically what they are to do this. Depending on the allergies different things will help the dog in its environment: keeping it clean, dehumidifiers, keeping them warm in winter, abstaining from certain foods, not using certain products, chemicals or preservatives, eradicating certain plants from the immediate environment, not going to certain environments, etc. etc.

There's a myriad of things you can use to treat symptoms: Resichlor, Pau D'Arco, Fish Oil, Vit E, Vit C, shampoos, Grapefruit Seed extract, Bach Flower, Allergen Specific Immunotherapy, Antibiotics, Homeopathics, Raw food diet, digestive enzymes, probiotics, kelp, evening Primrose oil... the list goes on. Different things will be useful for different dogs and different allergies, you need to find out what exactly the dog is allergic to and then what treatments work for them...

Allergies are certainly no reason to kill the dog. Both my dogs have extensive allergies and lead relatively normal lives. The are involved in obedience, agility and tracking and most of the time people are unaware that they have any issues.

I hope this dog gets appropriate treatment and another go at a good life

Dan

Edited March 30, 2006 by zayda_asher

[Rozzie]

I'm hoping they will be willing to send her back to us. No dramas here...

Edited March 31, 2006 by Rozzie

[Rozzie]

Can someone PM me the name of a good dermatologist in Sydney and approx cost of consult and testing.... info needed asap, please...

[Tim'sMum]

Do they really need a Dermatologist?

Most vets can deal with skin allergies, which are not uncommon with dogs.

Bad odour? That could be fungal or possibly food related?

Our old ACD had skin allergies for most of his life. He would have a course of mild cortisone to clear it until the next time but lived a good quality of life to 14 yrs old. Bathing him in a medicated shampoo from the vet helped too and would rid his coat of allergens. I would rinse him, after shampooing, with a mild & diluted human emulsifying bath oil........Ego brand I think?????

In fact it got to the stage when I didn't need to take him to the vet every time he started itching. The vet kept me supplied with the tablets and I would bath him and start dosing him as soon as he started to scratch.........he was probably allergic to grass as we eliminated any weeds that could cause it......like Wandering Jew - the most common allergy inducing plant found in suburban gardens. He was inside most of the time but did spend time in the yard. I washed his bedding weekly too.

It was certainly manageable.

I hope this dog is OK.

[InspectorRex]

Yes TM the dog needs to be seen by a Veterinary Dermatologist as they are the only ones who are Qualified to perform intra-dermal skin testing and reslting treatment, be it immunotherapy( allergye vaccines that are specifically made up individually for each dog) or whatever

From memory ours cost around the $450 for the testing and that was in 2004

[zayda_asher]

I'm hoping they will be willing to send her back to us. No dramas here...

I hope they do!!

Do they really need a Dermatologist?

Most vets can deal with skin allergies, which are not uncommon with dogs.

If it is to be determined that the dog really has allergies then yes. True allergies are not that common (intollerances can be) and generally come in multiples. You cannot successfully treat chronic allergy without knowing what the dog is allergic to. Most GP Vets have a very limited understanding of the allergic process unless they havea special interest. In fact I know people that have struggled fo years to get a correct diagnosis on allergic dogs, going to several vets before someone suggests a dermatologist to them.

Bad odour? That could be fungal or possibly food related?

Fungal and bacterial infections are common secondary infections with allergic response. Staph and yeast are the most common and will recurr over and over unless the underlying allergy is dealt with. My girl used to get chronic yeast infections and still gets fungal infections in her feet if they are not dried and treated properly in the wet due to her mould allergy. My boy gets chronic staph infection from his.

Dan

Edited March 31, 2006 by zayda_asher